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DAY
2: HAT MAE PHIM - CHATABURI 80 kms
From Mae Phim Beach, H3l6l goes to Klaeng, skirting a flat landscape
of villages, prawn farms and mangrove forests typical of the river
estuaries on this coast. The road passes a park celebrating Thailand's
classical 19th century poet, Sunthorn Phu, after 3 kms. A side road
next to the park gives access to the estuary east of Laem Mae Phim.
From Klaeng, Highway 3 runs between the estuaries and increasingly
higher mountains that peak at Soi Dao Nua (1605m) north of the provincial
capital of Chan-taburi.
Waterfalls tumble off the high, jungle-clad mountains, whose proxi-mity
to the sea has cre-ated a rainy climate ideal for fruit production.
Chan-taburi is the centre for the pungent durian fruit, which is celebrated
with a fruit festival in the har-vest season at the begin-ning of
May.
Chantaburi
lies close to sapphire and ruby mining regions and the gem trading
area along Si Chan Rd. throngs with traders on Fridays and Saturdays.
Nearby depos-its at Bo Rai are largely exhausted, but stones
come from Phailin in Cambodia and elsewhere.
Chantaburi was dominated by the Khmer from Angkor in the l4th
century, and repeatedly invaded from Cambodia in the l6th. In
1767 Phraya Taksin occupied the city after the Burmese destruction
of the Siamese capital of Ayutthaya. |
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From Chantaburi he began the campaign that forced the Burmese out
of Siam and secured the polity that evolved into modern Thailand.
From the 18th century Chantaburi provided a haven for Christians fleeing
persecution in Vietnam and later attracted many overseas Chinese.
The Catholic cathedral was completed in 1909 and" may be reached by
foot-bridge across the river from Rim Nam Street, a charming narrow
street for walking and sampling the city's Chinese-Vietnamese rice-noodles.
Chantaburi's thriving night market is also within close walking distance.
Noen Wong fortress was built in 1843 to defend the wealthy area, but
it could not prevent the French from occupying Chantaburi and Trat
in 1893 as part of their colonial expansion west of the River Mekong
in Cambodia and Laos. The French left in 1907, when Siam finally ceded
Battambang, Siem Reap and Sisophon.
With the fall of France in 1940, Thai forces retook the lost provinces,
though they suffered a naval defeat at Ko Chang. In 1947, the provinces
were restored to French Indochina.
The waterfalls in the national parks are best during weekdays and
at the end of the green season. Reaching the different levels involves
sweaty climbs up sometimes slippery paths through lovely moist ever-green
jungle. Take swimming gear to enjoy the cool pools.
DAY 2: SIDE TRIPS
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KHAO CHAMAO - KHAO WONG NATIONAL PARK - ST 4
p>(H3. KM.275 north turn onto H3377.16 kms.) The 8 levels of Khao
Chamao falls are less impressive out of the green season, but there
is a 2 km. nature trail. Khao Wong (H3 KM.286 12 kms. north on H3433)
has a succession of small caves inhabited by bats. Khao Chamao and
Khao Wong are linked directly by a dirt road from Ban Sam Yaek round
a reservoir (no signs).
LAEM SADET, HAT KUNG WIMAN AND HAT CHAO LAO - ST5
Laem Sadet, Hat Kung Wiman and Hat Chao Lao. (South turn offH3 at
KM.302 immediately after sign to Ban Laem Sadet onto H3399, or from
Chantaburi city via Tha Mai District -see maps). Hat Khung Wiman is
set amidst pleasant scenery, while Hat Chao Lao has nu-merous resorts
and restau-rants, particularly at Hat Suai Chao Lao, serving local
cli-entele in an area of rustic coastal charm.
WAT KHAO SUKIM AND KRA-THING FALLS - ST 6
(Take H3322 north from H3 at either KM.306 or KM.318 - 25 kms round
route. Krathing falls may be reached from H3322 at KM.318 or 22 kms
direct on H3249 from H3 KM.324 at Key Point 14). Wat Khao Sukim is
an active meditation centre (no access). The main attraction is a
vast 4 story building containing an extraordi-nary array of artefacts.
From the temple you can go to Krathing Falls in Khao Khitchakut National
Park, which has 13 levels accessible from a steep 500 metre path.
NOEN WONG FORTRESS - ST7
(H3146 approx. 4 kms from the city. Take H3147 at the T junc-tion
by the fort to go to Thai Mai District and Laem Sadet) The bastion
was built on a bluff south-west of Chantaburi city in 1843 as a defence
against the Vietnamese. Ramparts for 39 canons enclose 270 rai of
land that includes the Yotanimittara temple and a small museum of
underwater archaeological exploration.
KHAO SOI DAO AND
BACK COUNTRY ROUTES (H317)
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north from Key Point 15 takes you to hill country close to the
Kampuchean [Cambodian] border. For river rafting in season take
H3193 for 18 kms. from Pong Nam Ron District (KM.36), but call
first Tel: [039] 3601790). Try the Sida Restaurant (10:00-22:00)
or the Eng Dao Resort near the District Office, or continue
to Soi Dao Highland Hotel (KM.42). Soi Dao Falls (West turn
at KM.62. 6 kms.) are a 45 minute walk from the car park. |
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Back country routes connect H317 to Krathing Falls and Wat Khao Sukim
(West turns off H317 at KM.10 or KM.22), to Bo Rai District via the
Khiritan Dam (East turn at KM.18- 4WD only during upgrading) and to
Khiung District via Makham on H3277. The latter passes an access road
to Trok Nong Falls at KM.9. A 3 km. walk from the car park leads to
the top level of the falls. |
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